hermione's reinvention
by wilted rose
Summary: hermione is sick of her swotty image. the last straw is not getting a date for the ball. so she bites the bullet and does something about it...
1. Time to make a change

The ball is just two hours away. What on Earth am I going to wear? I've decided, tonight I'll show them. The swotty, know-it-all, boring Hermione Granger is gone. The crazy, cool, fun, trendy Hermione Granger is here to stay. I chose tonight for my transformation. Think I'll wear my new black dress, the one old Hermione wouldn't dare to wear. In fact, the new one's not too sure. It has no back, a halter neck, a long skirt, split nearly all the way up my leg. It's all made out of silk and the bodice is sequinned. Very expensive. Great Uncle George bought me it. Was very dubious about it, at first, but now I'm different, aren't I?  
  
Right, that's my dress on, hair next. Think I'll sweep it up into a twist. Hmm. Not bad. The dress is remarkably flattering. God, I feel like a tart.  
  
O.K, make-up. That's how I feel, made-up. But I really want to be liked. Have to do this. I've got two friends. TWO!! And I'm lonely. And I have to go to this ball alone. Oh God, I wandered off track again. Twenty minutes left. I feel sick. And I have to sing. My singing teacher put me forward. Lots of people will be looking at me. They'd laugh at the old Hermione, but not me. The teacher chose a song by some muggle singer. Britney Spears or something. It's called: "I'm A Slave 4 U". It's incredibly raunchy actually. Am sure she did it on purpose. To make fun of me Aghh, I've done it again. Red lipstick. Mwah. Actually that looks OK. Bought it in Hogsmede last week. Had to lose the boys so I could buy it.  
  
Shoes next. I got Mum to send me these. They're hers. It's quite sad really. She has loads of friends, she's really popular. It should be the other way round. Black stilettos. Nice. It took the last month to learn to walk in them. Still, it's worth it.  
  
Check my reflection. It makes me feel quite sad actually. I wanna sit down and cry, but I can't. I'll smudge my mascara. The old Hermione wouldn't care. But I'm NOT THE OLD HEMIONE. In fact, I don't really feel like Hermione at all. I look how the girls who used to pick on me at primary school probably look now. I look like the kind of muggle girl who spent her Saturday nights catching STD's.  
  
OK, I'm ready. Deep breaths. Stay calm. Stay cool. The new Hermione doesn't lose her cool. The old me did. But the new one doesn't. OK, off I go. Got to forget the homework that piled up today. Got to have fun. Got to show them. Right then, bye…………………………………….. 


	2. The ball

Am back. Just. What a night!!!  
  
First, I walked in and everyone was all: "Hey, who's that". Then I had to do my song. The teacher went up onto the stage and said: "And now, Miss Granger is going to sing a song called 'Slave 4 U'. I was thinking 'oh my God, oh my God,', but I couldn't show it…could I? Even if my make-up was thin enough to let my face move. But I started to sing and I was ok. I mean, I didn't miss a note or forget the words or anything. The audience seemed liked it. I got a bit of applause. And cheering.  
  
After I sang was when it all got a bit freaky. Neville came up to me. Blushing. And he said: "Um… Hermione?". "Oh, hi Neville," I said back, trying not to feel too sorry for him. The new me has no soft spot. He blushed more. "I just wanted to tell you how good you were out there," he mumbled quickly. There was a pause and he added, really quickly: "And to tell you how nice you look tonight". Then he scuttled off. Like a beetle or something.  
  
Then, Ron came over. "Hi Hermione!" he said brightly. "Oh, hi Ron" I replied. I smiled at him, the smile I'd been practising for the past 6 months in the mirror, but never had the guts to try out. "Do you wanna go for a walk?" he said. "Why not?" I answered, still smiling.  
  
He offered me his hand and I took it. It was a little nerve racking. I was thinking 'not too tight, but not too slack'. To be totally honest, I was sweating. Badly. Wanted to wipe my hand on my dress.  
  
We went outside. We walked for a while. Was more nervous when I was alone with Ron than when I was on stage. Because all the feelings that I've tried to hide for so long were starting to emerge. There were couples scattered around. We walked and we walked. And we walked a bit more until we were more or less alone.  
  
He stopped walking and turned to me. He took my other hand and looked into my eyes. "I want to give you this," he said, as he leaned forward. 'OH MY GOD' I thought, as I shut my eyes. He kissed me gently on my lips. My first kiss. Amazing. It was exactly how I had imagined. Except no fireworks. But what the hey? Who cares.  
  
We went back to the ball, and people were coming over to me and congratulating me. People who would even give me the time of day before. Was surrounded by people all night. Couldn't believe it.  
  
Mission completed! 


End file.
